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Paul Ballard
Portrayed by Tahmoh Penikett, Paul Ballard is a character of Dollhouse. The official casting descriptions call him "an FBI field agent, he's been chasing the urban myth of the Dollhouse long enough to have lost any shot at promotion. He becomes obsessed with, and twisted romantic foil for, Echo." Character development Background Paul was assigned to the case designated "Dollhouse" fourteen months prior to the events of the first episode, "Ghost". In the course of his investigation he has physically threatened a senator, disrupted a seven-year human trafficking investigation (the "Borodin case") and been arrested for trespassing on Prince Amoudi's yacht. His coworkers speculate that he was given the Dollhouse case because it is a dead-end and he is a sub-par agent, not because anyone in the FBI thinks the Dollhouse really exists. ''Dollhouse'' Despite facing contempt from his colleagues at the Bureau, Ballard possesses a single-minded determination to expose the Dollhouse. Scenes of an intense boxing match between Ballard and an unknown sparring partner are cut in with the introduction to his investigation, underscoring his feelings about the case. Even so, he will later describe himself in this time before he learned of Caroline as just doing his job. As a part of this job, he singles in on Lubov from the Borodin family of Russian mobsters as a lead to connect the family's human trafficking to the Dollhouse. Lubov (in reality, the Active known as Victor), is a dead end at first, but Ballard is spurred on by a messages from a mysterious source, potentially the rogue Active Alpha, who sends him a video of Echo as Caroline prior to joining the Dollhouse. The young college graduate gives a face and a name to the people Ballard is trying to rescue, and he goes from determined to obsessed. Even the overwhelming ambush Lubov unwittingly sends him to does not deter him. The Dollhouse has sent Lubov to provide Ballard with closure on the Dollhouse case, but he can no longer gain closure without resolving his search for Caroline. Caroline becomes the focal point of his investigation. His source continues to send him information about her in "Gray Hour," and her face is a signal for Dollhouse involvement in "True Believer." Ballard has a very limited social life outside of work. In "Man on the Street", he reveals that he was once married, but presumably now he is either divorced or widowed. He becomes close to neighbor Mellie, who is as besotted with him as he is with his search for Caroline, but he is never shown with other friends or family. Instead, Mellie provides him with emotional support as he searches for Caroline and the Dollhouse. In "Man on the Street," Paul Ballard closes in on a definite Dollhouse client, Joel Mynor, through close analysis of his outgoing finances. He catches him, but is thrown when he sees Echo as Rebecca Mynor. Echo escapes with handler Boyd Langton, and Ballard forces Joel Mynor to confess about the Dollhouse. Dollhouse director Adelle DeWitt later sends Echo to take care of Ballard, and after a drawn out fight, Echo gives him a message from a man on the inside of the Dollhouse who compromised her imprint and Ballard becomes aware of the global scale of the Dollhouse's activities. Echo then shoots a cop with his gun to get him suspended so that he will investigate the Dollhouse through other means. Ballard hands in his badge and gun, but resolves to pursue the Dollhouse and Echo. Original introduction In the original pilot, the rogue active Alpha, gives Agent Ballard a picture of Caroline/Echo, his first solid lead in his pursuit of the Dollhouse. Adelle DeWitt discovers this security breech and engages Echo to silence Agent Ballard. Part of the meeting between Echo and Paul can be seen in a preview clip on the official Fox Youtube-channel. Paul also has an interaction with an informant, Keene, about the Dollhouse, where he insists on its existence, although Keene tries to convince him that it's a myth. Keene is in fact Victor who was also sent by DeWitt to throw Paul off of his pursuit of the Dollhouse and was renamed to Lubov when the first season went into production. Relationships Mellie In the begining episodes, Ballard's relationship with Mellie is very one-sided. He accepts her awkward advances, including multiple offerings of baked leftovers, with graceful indifference. However, as the first season progresses he becomes more receptive to her interest and aid (asking Mellie to 'break in' to his apartment for medication). Ballard does not show romantic interest in pursuing a relationship with Mellie until Mynor points out that there is "no room for a real girl" in his Caroline-rescue fantasy. This comparison throws his situation and feelings into sharp relief, Ballard initiates a romantic and sexual relationship with Mellie. She is cautious of his obsession with finding Caroline, but he insists that he is thinking only of Mellie. Ironically, Caroline is not fantasy and Mellie is not reality. Rescue is a real possibility for Caroline, although the romantic twist does stretch the scenario. Mellie, unknown to Ballard, is an Active sent by the Dollhouse to keep Ballard distracted, survail him, or both. Caroline Ballard receives pictures and video of Echo before she joined the Dollhouse. He quickly fixates on her as an innocent victim of a nefarious slaving scheme. Whether or not he imagines a romantic connection remains to be seen. Echo Ballard is obsessed with rescuing Caroline, also known as the doll Echo. A spy inside the Dollhouse uses Echo to communicate with him in "Man on the Street," and indicates that he or she will continue to send messages via Echo in the future. Alpha The rogue Doll has been providing Ballarad with information about Echo (including a photograph and video of a younger Caroline) anonymously. Ballard originally believed that Echo herself sent the picture. It subsequently lead him into an ambush in Stage Fright during which he was injured. Ballard's agressive tactics with Lubov and determination to discover the truth regaurding the Dollhouse may very well be the reason Alpha has decided to aid Ballard. The two have not yet met in person. Echos Notes & References Category:Characters Category:Main characters Category:Main characters